The family as a basic social unit has undergone profound change, but with no uniform pattern. From an economic perspective, the most important changes are those related to family formation and fertility, the family as a system of support, and the supporting services that families increasingly need in order to function effectively in a changing environment. In developing countries, the role of the family as a production unit and source of employment continues to be of major, though diminishing, importance.

The extent to which the family, nuclear or extended, has been eroded as an effective social support system is the subject of considerable debate. Lack of precise information on the actual support rendered for family members to each other tends to make the discussion conjectural. It is probably safe to say that, in the developed countries, the family as a support institution has not been eroded as much as is commonly supposed, whereas in developing countries, the stereotype of the self-sufficient family is no longer an entirely accurate reflection of reality. In the areas of education and health, families are probably making a greater contribution than at any previous time, although family members receive a greater proportion of their total education and health services outside the family.

Recent trends suggest that pressure will continue for families to rely more on external support, much of it provided by public authorities in the form of specialized services and care, in particular in developed countries. In developing countries, too, where parents are less able to prepare their children for a world outside their realm of experience, families may need outside support, especially in finding suitable employment for the next generation. In many countries, demands are growing for additional services and support that would better enable parents, especially mothers, to reconcile parental, household, and work responsibilities. These demands will be a major issue in developed countries and will become increasingly relevant in developing countries as fewer women will earn a living from home-based employment. At the same time, however, restraints on the financial and administrative resources of Governments, and on the availability of adequately trained child- care workers, will limit the ability of Governments to provide adequate child-care for all young children. New arrangements, including participation   by   employers,   primary schools, and other existing institutions, will be needed. In some cases, it may be more efficient and socially beneficial for Governments to provide direct income supplements to enable parents to spend more time caring for their children in their own homes or  in various   co-operative  arrangements  with neighbours  or relatives.

In both developed and developing countries, in a period of budgetary constraints, Governments have looked with renewed interest at the family as a system of support that could bear a larger share of the burden of looking after the sick, the disabled, and the aged. The professional view supports such arrangements as being in many cases preferable to institutionalization and recommends public support and assistance to encourage families to provide more such support. However, the burden of care now tends to fall disproportionately on women. There is thus a potential conflict between this trend and the goal of widening opportunities for women, especially in education and employment.